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Selling fully loaded Kodi boxes with Kodi addons or apps like showbox, mobdro, isillegal in the EU. It is illegal to modify set-top boxes to receive digital TV subscription channels for free. Selling devices which bypass subscription services, to access pay-to-view TV, including movies and sports is against the law.



Are Kodi boxes legal in the UK? How authorities are cracking down on 'plug and play' piracy
ales of Kodi boxes have skyrocketed in the UK, with large numbers of Brits using the devices to watch premium pay TV channels, live sports and films without forking out for costly subscription packages. But with the news this week that five people have been arrested for selling "fully loaded" Kodi boxes, many people are asking whether they could get in trouble for owning a Kodi box. It's a thorny issue, as while Kodi boxes are not themselves illegal, they can enable users to illegally stream content to their TV. We spoke to the UK Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), a trade organisation established to protect and represent the interests of intellectual property, to help clarify things. What is Kodi? Kodi is a free media player that can run on any computer, smartphone, tablet or set-top box, allowing users to stream films and TV programmes over the internet. A "Kodi box" is a set-top box or HDMI stick with the Kodi media player pre-installed on it. Is it legal? The software itself is not illegal, nor is it illegal to sell devices with Kodi pre-installed on them. However, many of these Kodi devices come pre-loaded with third party plug-ins and add-ons that allow users to stream pirated content to their TV. Selling these "fully loaded" TV set-top devices is a breach of the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988. Individuals involved in this crime may also be breaking the Fraud Act, and be charged with Money Laundering offences, according to FACT. Who is the crackdown targeting? The latest crackdown by FACT, Greater Manchester Police, City of London Police and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is targeting those involved in the sale and distribution of these illegal "fully loaded" devices. FACT's priority is to "disrupt and combat individuals manufacturing, importing, selling and re-selling these illegal devices".